TMG
Tom’s Midweek Greeting
Crossroads Community Church
Nevada MO
January 2, 2020
www.nevadacrossroadschurch.org
Happy New Year, Crossroads Family!
Someone has said the Christian life is a series of new beginnings. There’s not just that one BIG new beginning, when you trusted Christ as your Savior, but God is helping us to take many new steps in a life of being transformed into the image of Christ.
Someone sent this to me today: “A toast to the Old You! If you feel inspired to use the new year to help you reset or change habits, great! And yet, the Old You has survived every terrible day, every hard thing, every awful circumstance, and every heartbreak you’ve ever felt! The Old You is a fighter, and that’s worth celebrating!” There’s some truth in those lines, and, since most of us are thinking about new habits we can begin in the new year, it actually makes me laugh to think that I’ve survived a lot even with my old habits!
Yet, I know that survival has only occurred because of the grace of God in my life, because of His strength, and because of His kind, providential working out of things. The Old Me must slowly but surely give way to the New Me who lives daily under the influence of Jesus Christ alone. The best thing we can hope for (and pray for) in the new year is a daily filling of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 says, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” In other words, be watchful about what, or who, is in control in your life … at every moment of every day. When you realize that something other than the Spirit of the Lord is in control, stop, confess, and ask for the Lord to take control again (to be not only present in your life, but to fill it up with Himself).
The outcome of His living His life through us will be … more love, more joy, more peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We’ll be better able to serve Him, to help others, and we’ll be that much more ready for heaven when the time comes for us to go there. What a year we have in store if we let the Lord live His life through ours! A new Year, a new Me, a new Us!
This Sunday – Worship, 10:00 a.m., followed by Crossroads Connection
I’m looking forward to worshiping with you this Sunday! For the sermon, I’ll start our two-part “Christ & Crossroads” series (also known as “Crossroads 101”). It’s an introduction to what the Bible says about the Church, and to the unique work God is doing at Crossroads. Whether you’re a relatively new or long-time member of the Crossroads family, this two-part series will refresh our understanding of who we are as members of the Church. I hope you’ll join us at 10:00 at the Y! We will share in the Lord’s Supper (Communion) this Sunday morning as well. Children’s Church will be available for young people 5th grade and younger during the sermon. Thanks to our great Children’s Church workers!
What is Crossroads Connection? Crossroads Connection is a time we’ve set aside on the first Sunday of the month for…
- … a light lunch immediately following the worship service
- … a few minutes of interaction with the Elder Board : news, questions, sharing.
- … time for any ministry teams to connect that need to.
I hope you’ll stay after the worship service this Sunday for some fellowship and communication. Food and drink will be provided.
Sunday, January 12 – Worship, followed by a Congregational Meeting
We’ll have a meeting following worship on the 12th. There are three main agenda items:
- Election for an open spot on the Elder Board. (Cris Rodriguez is the nominee.)
- A vote on the proposed 2020 church budget. (The proposed budget is available now if you would like to take a look at it before the 12th.)
- Prayer
Anyone is welcome to attend the meeting. If you are already a voting member at Crossroads, you are invited to vote on the two items needing attention. Thank you for your prayerful participation in the life of the church!
“The Lord bless you, and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance on you,
And give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26
Looking forward to seeing you Sunday!
–Tom
Leave a Reply